BULLIED: A Student, a School and a Case that Made History
Every day, thousands of gay and lesbian students are verbally and physically harassed in schools. Bullied centers on the powerful story of Jamie Nabozny, a gay teenage boy, tormented for years by classmates in his middle and high schools. Jamie fought back, not with his fists but in a courtroom. His historic federal case established that gay and lesbian students have a constitutional right to be free from harassment and bullying. The film reenacts experiences Jamie went through from middle school to high school and his many attempts of trying to get each schools administration to stand up and protect him. Not only does the film spent much it’s time talking about the kids who bullied Jamie, it also points out the kids who just stood there and did nothing to help young Jamie and how it is almost as bad as the actual bullying.
I choose this project because if it’s one thing that has been my main motivation to enter into the special education field is because of the bullying I witnessed while I was in high school and later on as a young adult. I felt the most poignant moment of the film is during the court case when one of Jamie’s actual bullies admits to what he did to Jamie, as well as how in a previous meeting with the principle about bullying Jamie they received no punishment.The reason I thought this was because two reasons. The first was that he only told the truth about what they did to Jamie because he was under oath as well as in jail for other charges. The second was that as some bullies get older they realize the stuff they did was really mean and regret what they did for many years after school. While watching this film I sometimes found it hard to not get a little angry. I don’t know why but I think it was a mix of many things: 1. Seeing what these bullies were doing to young Jamie 2. The lack of any action by the schools district’s administrators 3. That it took place in Wisconsin 4. For Jamie’s family in general. The courage Jamie showed is truly what heroes are made of. From having spent some of my life in a small northern Wisconsin town I could just imagine how hard it was every time he heard that morning alarm clock go off. I believe the strongest thing a person who is getting bullied can do is to look that bully right in the eye and let them know that they cannot break you and that you are willing to use any peaceful means at your disposal to ensure your protection.
Every day, thousands of gay and lesbian students are verbally and physically harassed in schools. Bullied centers on the powerful story of Jamie Nabozny, a gay teenage boy, tormented for years by classmates in his middle and high schools. Jamie fought back, not with his fists but in a courtroom. His historic federal case established that gay and lesbian students have a constitutional right to be free from harassment and bullying. The film reenacts experiences Jamie went through from middle school to high school and his many attempts of trying to get each schools administration to stand up and protect him. Not only does the film spent much it’s time talking about the kids who bullied Jamie, it also points out the kids who just stood there and did nothing to help young Jamie and how it is almost as bad as the actual bullying.
I choose this project because if it’s one thing that has been my main motivation to enter into the special education field is because of the bullying I witnessed while I was in high school and later on as a young adult. I felt the most poignant moment of the film is during the court case when one of Jamie’s actual bullies admits to what he did to Jamie, as well as how in a previous meeting with the principle about bullying Jamie they received no punishment.The reason I thought this was because two reasons. The first was that he only told the truth about what they did to Jamie because he was under oath as well as in jail for other charges. The second was that as some bullies get older they realize the stuff they did was really mean and regret what they did for many years after school.
While watching this film I sometimes found it hard to not get a little angry. I don’t know why but I think it was a mix of many things:
1. Seeing what these bullies were doing to young Jamie
2. The lack of any action by the schools district’s administrators
3. That it took place in Wisconsin
4. For Jamie’s family in general.
The courage Jamie showed is truly what heroes are made of. From having spent some of my life in a small northern Wisconsin town I could just imagine how hard it was every time he heard that morning alarm clock go off. I believe the strongest thing a person who is getting bullied can do is to look that bully right in the eye and let them know that they cannot break you and that you are willing to use any peaceful means at your disposal to ensure your protection.